Toy vehicle.



G. M. BARTHOLOMEW.

TOY VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED 11116.15, 1910.

1,006,045. Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

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CASSIUS M. BARTHOLOMEVT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOREHOUSEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TOY VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1911.

Application filed August 15, 1910. Serial No. 577,332.

To all whom it may concern--- Be it known that I, CAssIUs M. BARTHOLO-MEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the countyof Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Toy Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a toy vehicle with improvedand simplified means for propelling the same.

The invention is embodied in the construction hereinafter described andclaimed, the invention not being confined to the exact forms of theparts shown.

In the accompanying drawingl*igure 1 is a top plan view, with the rearportion of the seat broken out to showdetails of the propelling devices.Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the rear portion of the near side of theframe broken out and the wheel at that side removed. Fig. 3 is asectional view on a larger scale to show the ratchet and spring actuateddriving pawl. Fig. l is a view in elevation of the forward or guidingend of the vehicle.

The main frame includes parallel side rails 5 and a forward goose neckmember 6, the rails 5 being bent at their forward ends to meet and besecured to the goose neck member which latter terminates at its upperend in a sleeve 7. The seat 8 and flanking strips 8 thereof are securedin elevated position upon suitable standards 9 rising from the mainframe.

The character 10 designates the rear axle which is secured stationarilybetween the rear ends of the side rails. Because of the constructionherein described the axle can be of small diameter or slender.

11, 11 designates the rear wheels which turn freely on the fixed axleand are provided at their inner hub portions with ratchet teeth 12.

The driving device includes a drum 13 having two laterally extendingyoke-like members 14 of corresponding form and size, one secured bybolts to each of the opposite faces of the drum, and pawls 15 pivoted onlaterally extending bosses 14 at the outer ends of the yokes to engagethe ratchets 12 of the wheels. Each of the pawls 15 has a spring 15secured at 15 to hold the pawl normally engaged with a tooth of theratchet. A stop 15 can be provided to limit the movement of the pawlfrom the ratchet. Secured at one end of the axle 10 and within one yokeis a stiff coil spring 16, said spring having its other end formed as anarm 16 reaching outward to bear against the other yoke and so that ifthe spring be wound up its tendency shall be to rotate the yoke in adirection contrary to that of the wheels of the vehicle when the latteris driven forward. The drum is made with an ample central opening topermit the passage and play of the spring and the cross pieces of theyoke members are drilled or formed at 14- to provide journals that turnon the stationary shaft.

141- are collars secured on the axle between the ends of the yokes andratchet hubs to take end thrusts.

Attached at 1? to the drum 1?) is one end of a cord or band 17 the freeend of which is extended forward under the seat and around a pulley 18journaled between the arms constituting the goose-neck member. Theportion 17 is passed under the pulley 18 and then rearward where its endis provided with a handle 19 that can be grasped with both hands of therider when the latter is seated on the seat of the vehicle. The cord 17is wound up by the action of the spring 16 on the driving member, thetwo pawls slipping back over the teeth of the ratchets during thisoperation. In practice the rider intermittently pulls upon and releasesthe cord thereby imparting a succession of impulses to the rear wheelsand vehicle, but during the operation the mo tion of the vehicle afterbeing started is continuous.

The forward end of the vehicle is supported upon a single wheel 20, saidwheel being journaled in the tangs of a fork 21 that has its shank 22journaled in the sleeve 7 at the forward end of the goose neck beforedescribed. The forward side of the sleeve 7 has substantially a V-shapeddownward projection 7 that, engages a corre sponding notch 21" in thefork when the forward wheel stands in a plane parallel to the two rearwheels. When the forward wheel is thus latched the vehicle will move ina straight line. The shank 22 is furnished with a cotter pin 22 insertedthrough a hole sufficiently above the upper end of the sleeve 7 topermit the sleeve to rise and fall on the shank so that the fork can beshifted to guide the vehicle in a curved direction. The fork 21 isprovided with a lateral projection 23 at each side upon which is pivoteda foot rest 24;.

In use the rider customarily sits upon the seat and stretches his legsforward with his feet lodged upon the foot rests. By the pressure of onefoot or the other the front wheel is turned to guide the vehicle in thedesired direction, but in this operation the sleeve 7 must be lifted andwhen the foot pressure is relieved the weight of the rider and forwardend of the vehicle automatically causes the V-shaped projection of thesleeve to reenter the notch. The cotter pin prevents the separation ofthe fork from the rest of the vehicle.

With the particular construction of driving member shown and describedroom is provided for a coil spring of ample length and power to rewindthe cord, and the propelling power is applied at a central point betweenthe wheels and transmitted equally to both wheels. The construction issimple and effective and will endure hard usage. It is not liable to getout of order and is easily repaired.

What I claim is:

In a toy vehicle, the combination with a frame, a stationary axle, apair of wheels having ratchet hubs turning on said axle near the endsthereof, a driving member for said wheels comprising a cord winding drumcentrally located with reference to said axle, a cord thereon, laterallyextending open yokes secured to the sides of said drum and pawls on saidyokes to engage the ratcheted hubs, and a spring on the axle within saidyokes to retract the cord winding drum to wind the cord thereonsubstantially as described.

CASSIUS M. BARTHOLOMEWV.

Witnesses HAYME FoURD, CHAS. S. DRUGGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

